This easy-to-make spicy Thai peanut sauce takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish! Made mostly with peanuts, we add a touch of soy sauce, tamarind, cilantro and Thai chilies to make this peanut sauce.

Typically used on satay, this peanut sauce is also delicious served with vegetables, mixed with rice or potatoes, or served on tofu. In reality? You can use it on whatever you’d like.

The Ingredients

Before we start, let’s talk about tamarind.

What is Tamarind and What Does it Taste Like?

Tamarind is a pod like fruit with a sweet and tart flavor. Commonly used in Thai, Indian and Mexican cooking, the pulp of the fruit is very sour. Due to its strong flavor, recipes will typically call for only a small amount mixed with sugar to make a little less tart.

I absolutely love the intense flavor of tamarind; if I see something on a menu with tamarind, I instantly want to order it. It is so amazing. One recommendation? Buy the pulp, not the whole tamarind fruit/pod/seed.

I made tamarind pulp fresh for the first time a couple months ago, and have vowed to never do it again. What a pain in the ass. I know, fresh made from scratch ingredients are always the best, but sometimes the effort is just not worth it.

So buy the tamarind pulp at your local Asian grocery store, or purchase it here (affiliate link, I receive a commission if you buy through this link):

You can find most of the ingredients at your local grocery store, or you can buy them on Amazon through the below link if you don’t feel like running up and down the aisles (affiliate links – I earn a small commission to support my life of luxury if you buy through these links):

How to Make Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce (Peanut Satay Sauce)

Add the peanuts to a food processor and grind into a powder. I use this mini food processor for this, it is absolutely perfect for sauces (affiliate link, I earn a tiny commission if you buy through this link so I can keep making sauces):

Now I’m not going to lie. There may be better food processors out there. But I’ve only ever used this little one and it’s been great for me.

Start by combining the oil, cilantro, tamarind, chilies, soy sauce, fish sauce, salt, and sugar and process into a paste.

Then add the chicken broth, a little at a time, until the mixture becomes a sauce. I prefer the sauce to be a bit thick and creamy, but if you’d like a more pour-able sauce, add more chicken broth until it reaches the consistency you desire.

Is Thai Peanut Sauce Spicy?

Traditional Thai peanut sauce has a good amount of spicy flavor. This recipe can be a spicy or mild as you choose. Thai chilies can be quite spicy, so I typically start with one chili and work my way up to desired spiciness. But really, I’m kinda a baby, so personally I usually use just one. The recipe calls for 1-4, but use as many as you like!

Serve this spicy Thai peanut sauce immediately, or store in the refrigerator in a covered container for a month or more. It should stay good for quite some time.

Can you Freeze Thai Peanut Sauce?

You totally can! Put the sauce in a sealed container and freeze for up to 3 months. I would recommend making a couple batches and freezing in portions for easy use in the future. Once you try this stuff, you’ll realize you want to eat it on everything!!

Sauces, sauces, sauces!! Who doesn’t love a good sauce? Check out some of these other super yummy sauce:

Instructions

Add the chicken broth, a little at a time, until the mixture becomes a sauce. I prefer the sauce to be a bit thick and creamy, but if you'd like a more pour-able sauce, add chicken broth until it reaches the consistency you desire.

Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 2 weeks. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Expert Tips:

Use as few or as many Thai chilies as you would like, depending on the level of spiciness you desire. Start with one and work your way up.

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Hi there. I’m Danielle and I love food. Here you’ll find easy-to-make recipes using ingredients from cuisines all around the world. More…

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